Investigation the effect of cellulose on the structure and properties of polypropylene fibres

Abstract

The modification of polypropylene fibre during their production is usually performed with the aim to improve some end-use properties of final polypropylene textiles. The most common procedure for the modification of polypropylene fibres involves adding additives in the form of masterbaches, which are incorporated into polymer by physical means during fibre formation. The presented work is focused on the investigation the effect of natural organic additive cellulose on the preparation, morphology and the thermal properties of polypropylene fibres. The series of modified pre-oriented and drawn polypropylene fibres with different content of cellulose from 0 wt. % to 3 wt. % were prepared via the classical discontinuous process of melt spinning and drawing. The non-isothermal crystallization and melting behaviour of pre-oriented and drawn polypropylene fibres were analysed by differential scanning calorimetry tests under nitrogen atmosphere. The surface morphology of polypropylene fibres and cross-sectional shapes were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The obtained experimental results were compared with reference polypropylene fibres prepared under the same technological conditions.